The present invention generally relates to a combination high pressure injection nozzle and concentrated chemical injector for use in a vehicle wash system. More specifically, the present invention relates to a high pressure injection nozzle that is formed from stainless steel or a hard alloy material and a separate concentrated chemical injector formed from a non-corrosive, inert plastic material.
In present mixing devices for mixing a chemical detergent into a high pressure stream of water in a vehicle wash system, a high pressure control orifice is integrated with a chemical injector into a single unit. Since the control orifice and the chemical injector are a single piece, the materials used to form the high pressure control orifice are the same as the materials used for the chemical injector.
Typically, the high pressure control orifice is best suited for a stainless steel or hard alloy material due to the ability of the metal to withstand high pressures. However, the chemical injection system inserts a concentrated chemical solution into the water supply that is highly corrosive to the stainless steel or hard alloy material required for the high pressure control. Thus, after periods of continuous use, the stainless steel integrated high pressure control orifice and chemical injector needs to be replaced as a single unit when the corrosive effects of the chemical concentrate damaged the unit. The currently available design requires a long and expensive process for changing a chemical injector, since the entire unit has to be replaced even if only one of the chemical injectors had been damaged.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a multi-component chemical injecting system in which the high pressure injection nozzles and the concentrated chemical injecting system are designed and manufactured out of dissimilar materials. Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a high pressure orifice formed from stainless steel or hard alloy material to withstand the high pressures from the fluid inlet. Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a chemical injector that is formed from a non-corrosive, inert plastic material that can withstand the corrosive effects of the concentrated chemicals. Further, it is an object of the present invention to provide a unit in which the chemical injectors can be press fit into the high pressure manifold and sealed with O-rings, thus not requiring the typical threaded connections of the prior art designs.
The present invention relates to a multi-component, chemical injection system used for a vehicle wash system. The present invention includes a supply manifold formed from stainless steel or other type of hard alloy material. The high pressure water supply manifold receives a supply of high pressure water from an inlet fitting and directs the high pressure water through the supply manifold. A plurality of flow control orifices are included in the supply manifold to provide individual outlets from the supply manifold.
Each of the flow control orifices receives an injector nozzle that reduces the water pressure existing within the supply manifold as it leaves the supply manifold. The injector nozzles are press fit within the flow control orifice and sealed by an O-ring positioned between the supply manifold and the injector nozzle.
Each injector nozzle, in turn, receives a chemical injector having an injector body and a chemical inlet. The chemical inlet receives a supply of concentrated chemical detergent used during the operation of the vehicle wash system. The injectors are formed from a non-corrosive, inert plastic material that can resist the corrosive nature of the concentrated chemical inputs. As the flow of fluid passes through the injector body, a Venturi effect is created to draw the concentrated chemical from the chemical inlet. Thus, the concentrated chemical flows out of the injector and never enters into the stainless steel high pressure injector nozzle. Likewise, the chemical injector does not ever see the high pressure water in the supply manifold and injection nozzles. The two-piece construction of the high pressure injector nozzles and chemical injectors allows each of the components to perform a distinct function without suffering from the drawbacks of prior art systems.
Various other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings.